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Unable to wipe 98 machine 2
- Thread starter siscokid1
- Start date
You cannot install XP from a 98 boot disk. You need to make a set of XP install floppies
How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks
192 mb will run XP ok but slow. Norton or McAfee will really bog it down so I would use another anti-virus.
You may need to get the latest bios for either 2000 or XP
How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks
192 mb will run XP ok but slow. Norton or McAfee will really bog it down so I would use another anti-virus.
You may need to get the latest bios for either 2000 or XP
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1
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The fact that it reboots sporadically suggests a hardware problem. Try running MEMTEST86 to check your RAM is ok.
Also run a full surface scan of the hard disk in case bad blocks are causing the problem...
ROGER - G0AOZ.
Also run a full surface scan of the hard disk in case bad blocks are causing the problem...
ROGER - G0AOZ.
Is it poss to wipe clean 98 First Edition and the manurfactures pre-loaded software and install 98SE? (I want to dump all the files for the unnecessary software and gain the SE drivers)
Machine is Toshiba Satellite 335 CDT, 266 MMX,CD-ROM, 96 RAM, Massive 2.8 Giggabit (ha ha ha!) hard drive.
(Comes w/operating system and software on a single "Backup/Recovery Disk")
If I knew how to wipe the drive clean of all files I should be able to install 98SE cleanly...Correct?
When I try to use 98SE disk to overwrite/reformate 98 First Edition, I get message saying I can not do so, thus I have to abort the attempt...:l
Thanks for any knowledgeable...(as if I knew how to spell it!)... assistance.
Machine is Toshiba Satellite 335 CDT, 266 MMX,CD-ROM, 96 RAM, Massive 2.8 Giggabit (ha ha ha!) hard drive.
(Comes w/operating system and software on a single "Backup/Recovery Disk")
If I knew how to wipe the drive clean of all files I should be able to install 98SE cleanly...Correct?
When I try to use 98SE disk to overwrite/reformate 98 First Edition, I get message saying I can not do so, thus I have to abort the attempt...:l
Thanks for any knowledgeable...(as if I knew how to spell it!)... assistance.
You probably would be happier with the result if you use fdisk and delete the partitions, then recreate a primary one using all the hard drive space.
You might want to have the latest fdisk, however. It was updated some time in 1999 to allow larger partitions.
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
You might want to have the latest fdisk, however. It was updated some time in 1999 to allow larger partitions.
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
Roger GOAOZ & Ed Fair,
Thank you for your willing assistance in my endevor.
A few questions:
1) Where do I obtain a Win98SE floppy boot disk?
2) When you say quick wipe, is it complete? I understand I will loose all data. (All data I need to keep is stored on a flash drive)...But I want to wipe every last bit of everything off the drive....ghost files and all. Based on your phrase "quick wipe"....(Im wondering if it is wiping every last bit off the drive?)
3)I am sory, but I do not understand what a "fdisk" is, and where can I find instructions for deleting/re-creating partitons? (If that is the best/most complete route...No need for short cuts with me...I will do what it takes to get best result/effeciancy/performance.
4) Sorry for the ignorant question, but what does a larger partition do for me/the machine?
Once I get past this project, I will want to learn from you guys(if you can put up with me)about XP 64bit OS and available software(I understand it has little support) and learn about the pro's and con's of using XP64bit OS/Software on Vista machine.
To both of you, THANK YOU you for your time and assistance!
Thank you for your willing assistance in my endevor.
A few questions:
1) Where do I obtain a Win98SE floppy boot disk?
2) When you say quick wipe, is it complete? I understand I will loose all data. (All data I need to keep is stored on a flash drive)...But I want to wipe every last bit of everything off the drive....ghost files and all. Based on your phrase "quick wipe"....(Im wondering if it is wiping every last bit off the drive?)
3)I am sory, but I do not understand what a "fdisk" is, and where can I find instructions for deleting/re-creating partitons? (If that is the best/most complete route...No need for short cuts with me...I will do what it takes to get best result/effeciancy/performance.
4) Sorry for the ignorant question, but what does a larger partition do for me/the machine?
Once I get past this project, I will want to learn from you guys(if you can put up with me)about XP 64bit OS and available software(I understand it has little support) and learn about the pro's and con's of using XP64bit OS/Software on Vista machine.
To both of you, THANK YOU you for your time and assistance!
1. Assuming your existing Windows 98 installation is still running, insert a floppy disk in the A: drive, double click on My Computer, right click on the A: drive icon and select format. Under Format Type select Full. This will wipe the floppy disk and format it complete with system files.
Once formatted, use Windows Explorer to copy the format.com file onto the floppy from the C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND sub-directory. Now boot up the computer on this newly created boot floppy disk, and at the command prompt type, format c: /q
2. A quick wipe of the hard disk doesn't check for bad blocks, whereas the full format would do. As far as the Windows 98 installation is concerned, the disk is empty.
3. The fdisk utility is used to create, erase and display partition information on the hard drive. If you wish you can use fdisk to wipe the partition, and then Windows will create a new one ahead of a fresh installation. If you want to use this option, use Windows Explorer to copy fdisk.exe to the floppy from the same location as above.
Boot up on the floppy as before, type fdisk then answer Y to any questions, and select menu item 3 to delete partition.
4. Larger partition refers to the size of disk and clusters. Earlier versions of the operating system (FAT16) imposed a partition limit of 2Gb which can be rather restrictive if your hard disk is bigger than this!
Hope that helps...
ROGER - G0AOZ.
Once formatted, use Windows Explorer to copy the format.com file onto the floppy from the C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND sub-directory. Now boot up the computer on this newly created boot floppy disk, and at the command prompt type, format c: /q
2. A quick wipe of the hard disk doesn't check for bad blocks, whereas the full format would do. As far as the Windows 98 installation is concerned, the disk is empty.
3. The fdisk utility is used to create, erase and display partition information on the hard drive. If you wish you can use fdisk to wipe the partition, and then Windows will create a new one ahead of a fresh installation. If you want to use this option, use Windows Explorer to copy fdisk.exe to the floppy from the same location as above.
Boot up on the floppy as before, type fdisk then answer Y to any questions, and select menu item 3 to delete partition.
4. Larger partition refers to the size of disk and clusters. Earlier versions of the operating system (FAT16) imposed a partition limit of 2Gb which can be rather restrictive if your hard disk is bigger than this!
Hope that helps...
ROGER - G0AOZ.
1) To be truly usable as a boot disk you need some other files. If 98 is still running you can create one from control panel>add/remove software>startupdisk tab or you can download one from for the version you have.
2) The quick wipe does the directory structure and the FAT leaving data in the storage area. A format /u does the whole thing removing any trace of previous data.
3) creating a usable partition goes in steps, create and format. Multiple partitions can be created, primary and extended. Logical drives can be created on the extended partition. Removal, if you have such, requires it to be done in reverse, logical drives in extended partition, then when all are gone, the extended partition, then the primary partition. The extended partition is not formatted, only the logical drives on it.
Your hard drive is divided into usable clusters of sectors. If you have FAT16 you get 65K clusters which in some cases requires the minimum file size to be 32K. A FAT32 increases the number of clusters available so the minimum file size can be much less, typically 4K. Less wasted space on small files (called slack space).
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
2) The quick wipe does the directory structure and the FAT leaving data in the storage area. A format /u does the whole thing removing any trace of previous data.
3) creating a usable partition goes in steps, create and format. Multiple partitions can be created, primary and extended. Logical drives can be created on the extended partition. Removal, if you have such, requires it to be done in reverse, logical drives in extended partition, then when all are gone, the extended partition, then the primary partition. The extended partition is not formatted, only the logical drives on it.
Your hard drive is divided into usable clusters of sectors. If you have FAT16 you get 65K clusters which in some cases requires the minimum file size to be 32K. A FAT32 increases the number of clusters available so the minimum file size can be much less, typically 4K. Less wasted space on small files (called slack space).
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
wipe all partitions, Format using NTFS or (FAT32 as u can convert XP to NTFS afterwards)
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The Win98 boot disk can be made from Win98 or from a DOS boot with CD-ROM support. Just insert a blank formatted disk in the A drive. Insert the Win98 CD in the CD-ROM drive and go to CD-ROM\Tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd.
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Run the file fat32ebd and it will create a Win98 boot disk with CD-ROM support and the necessary files to run setup from the CD-ROM.
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Try the boot disk by shutting down and using it to boot. Make sure BIOS is set for booting A: then C:.
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Reboot the system to the boot disk and type in Fdisk at the prompt. You can answer N when it asks if you want large disk support. We are deleting first.
1.
Select 3 from menu - Delete ......
2.
Select 3 from next menu to delete logic DOS drives first
3.
Next delete the extended DOS partition (menu item 2) and then the primary partition (menu item 1) both on the second menu after selecting 3 delete from the first.
4.
Reboot.
5.
Again type Fdisk from the A: prompt. At this time you need to have figured out how you want your drive partitioned. If you want to use FAT16 or a primary FAT16 partition answer the question about large drive support N. Make a primary partition (menu item 1 then 1). Select the partition size. Max is about 2.1G. Only create the partition that will use FAT16 at this time. The whole drive if that is what you want (primary -extended - logic drives) or just primary. If you do not plan on using FAT16 at all just skip this to the next step. Use ESC a few times to exit fdisk and reboot.
6.
Again type Fdisk. This time answer the question about large disk support Y. Use menu item 1 and then 1 (if you did not create a primary partition using FAT16 above). Next use Menu item 1 and then menu item 2 to create an extended DOS partition. Make this the size of the rest of the drive. (this is not needed if you made the whole drive a primary partition)
7.
Next select menu item 1 'create ...." then menu item 3 to make logic DOS drives. Make the size whatever you want up to whatever space is available. You may create one or more logic drives.
8.
Make sure you use menu item 2 in fdisk to set the primary partition as active.
9.
Reboot - and now format the partition<s> you have made. Format c: /s.
10.
Reboot to the a: prompt after formatting and verify that the drive(s) that you fdisked are accessible and readable.
11.
Insert the win98 CD-ROM and change to the CD-ROM drive and type Setup. The Win98 installation will start. You will be asked for you win95 CD-ROM or the win 3.1 disk for verification if you are using an upgrade version. The installation should take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on your computer.
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The Win98 boot disk can be made from Win98 or from a DOS boot with CD-ROM support. Just insert a blank formatted disk in the A drive. Insert the Win98 CD in the CD-ROM drive and go to CD-ROM\Tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd.
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Run the file fat32ebd and it will create a Win98 boot disk with CD-ROM support and the necessary files to run setup from the CD-ROM.
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Try the boot disk by shutting down and using it to boot. Make sure BIOS is set for booting A: then C:.
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Reboot the system to the boot disk and type in Fdisk at the prompt. You can answer N when it asks if you want large disk support. We are deleting first.
1.
Select 3 from menu - Delete ......
2.
Select 3 from next menu to delete logic DOS drives first
3.
Next delete the extended DOS partition (menu item 2) and then the primary partition (menu item 1) both on the second menu after selecting 3 delete from the first.
4.
Reboot.
5.
Again type Fdisk from the A: prompt. At this time you need to have figured out how you want your drive partitioned. If you want to use FAT16 or a primary FAT16 partition answer the question about large drive support N. Make a primary partition (menu item 1 then 1). Select the partition size. Max is about 2.1G. Only create the partition that will use FAT16 at this time. The whole drive if that is what you want (primary -extended - logic drives) or just primary. If you do not plan on using FAT16 at all just skip this to the next step. Use ESC a few times to exit fdisk and reboot.
6.
Again type Fdisk. This time answer the question about large disk support Y. Use menu item 1 and then 1 (if you did not create a primary partition using FAT16 above). Next use Menu item 1 and then menu item 2 to create an extended DOS partition. Make this the size of the rest of the drive. (this is not needed if you made the whole drive a primary partition)
7.
Next select menu item 1 'create ...." then menu item 3 to make logic DOS drives. Make the size whatever you want up to whatever space is available. You may create one or more logic drives.
8.
Make sure you use menu item 2 in fdisk to set the primary partition as active.
9.
Reboot - and now format the partition<s> you have made. Format c: /s.
10.
Reboot to the a: prompt after formatting and verify that the drive(s) that you fdisked are accessible and readable.
11.
Insert the win98 CD-ROM and change to the CD-ROM drive and type Setup. The Win98 installation will start. You will be asked for you win95 CD-ROM or the win 3.1 disk for verification if you are using an upgrade version. The installation should take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on your computer.
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